The present disclosure relates to seal members of automobiles.
In a sashless door of an automobile, a hollow weatherstrip for sealing a clearance between a door glass and an automobile body is held by a retainer fixed to the automobile body. In general, a structure in which a base of a weatherstrip is inserted between a pair of opposed engagement parts of a retainer is employed. In such a structure, when a door glass comes into contact with a seal part of the weatherstrip, the seal part is bent, causing both side edges of the seal part to be deformed toward the center thereof. This deformation can cause a groove-shaped clearance between the rim of the weatherstrip and the engagement parts of the retainer, where the rim of the weatherstrip was in contact with engagement parts of the retainer before contact of the door glass with the seal part. In addition, while the seal part of the weatherstrip is in contact with an automobile body, this seal part might be separated from the automobile body to form a groove-shaped clearance between the seal part and the automobile body.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. S61-118854 proposes a measurement for preventing formation of a groove-shaped clearance between a weatherstrip and an engagement part of a retainer. In this measurement, in consideration of formation of a clearance between the weatherstrip and the engagement part of the retainer, a wall covering the outer surface of the side rim of the weatherstrip is provided in the retainer. In this structure, even when the side rim of the weatherstrip is separated to a small extent from the engagement part of the retainer, the wall covering the outer surface of the side rim of the weatherstrip prevents the clearance from being exposed in appearance.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. S61-30556 also shows a structure in which a base of a weatherstrip has a substantially V shape in cross section such that the center of the base projects toward the cabin in order to easily insert the weatherstrip to a pair of engagement parts of a retainer and prevent the weatherstrip from being easily separated from the retainer. Specifically, when the base is inserted between the engagement parts, the base is deformed such that the angle of the V shape of the base is reduced, thereby enhancing easiness of the insertion. After the insertion, when a separation load is applied to the weatherstrip, the angle of the V shape of the base increases, resulting in that both side rims of the base are engaged with the engagement parts, and the weatherstrip is not easily separated from the retainer.
However, in measurements as proposed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. S61-118854 for preventing formation of a groove-shaped clearance between a weatherstrip and a retainer or an automobile body, the retainer or the automobile body tends to have a complicated shape. Merely providing the substantially V shape in cross section of the base of the weatherstrip as described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. S61-30556 prevents separation of the weatherstrip but cannot prevent formation of the groove-shaped clearance.
To prevent formation of the groove-shaped clearance, the following measurement has been conventionally employed. Specifically, part of the weatherstrip to be in contact with the door glass and the direction and degree of elastic deformation of the weatherstrip when the weatherstrip comes into contact with the door glass are previously expected, and the weatherstrip is designed such that the side rim overlaps the retainer or the automobile body so as not to form the groove-shaped clearance described above.
However, it is difficult to expect the deformation degree and other conditions of parts of the weatherstrip. Even if the deformation degree and other conditions can be accurately expected to some extent, small dimensional errors between the weatherstrip and the retainer or the automobile body in the final product might cause a groove-shaped clearance. Thus, it is difficult to prevent formation of the groove-shaped clearance by expecting conditions of deformation. In addition, the overlap of the side rim of the weatherstrip causes redundancy of the peripheral length of the hollow shape in cross section of the weatherstrip. Accordingly, unexpected deformation might occur when the weatherstrip is attached to the automobile body.